Mothers in an urban township in Zambia

Two hundred and forty-nine mothers living in an urban township were followed at their home from delivery for 1 year. Sixty-four families were lost to follow up due to moving house. The neonatal mortality was 50.6 per thousand and the infant mortality 118 per thousand live births. Child loss increased after parity 8 of the mother. The mean (SD) weight of mothers was 56.8 kg (8.8), the mean height 157.8 cm (6.1) and the mean ponderal index 22.53 (3.51). The mid-arm circumference was 26.1 cm (2.8). Body size varied considerably with around 10 per cent of mothers being undernourished and 10 per cent obese. Weight and mid-arm circumference generally decreased after 6 months post-partum. Breast feeding became less frequent after 8 months and by a year four babies had stopped receiving any breast milk. Average birth intervals were around 30 months, but thirty-seven mothers (20 per cent of multiparous mothers) had intervals of less than two years often following the loss of a previous child. Women generally received less education than their husbands with 35 (17 per cent) having had no education and only 23 (11 per cent) with some secondary education. Thirty-five mothers (18 per cent) had no men living at home with them although some fathers provided support. By one year fifteen fathers had abandoned the mother. Incomes of most families were insufficient and half the mothers worked, usually by selling food at the market or outside their homes. Recommendations are made on the collection of vital statistics, the maintaining of risk registers and the training of community health workers; as well as on the provision of subsidized weaning foods to assist these urban mothers.